Fire Protection / EMS Qualifications

Requirements

Applicants for beginning positions within the City of Sherman Fire Department must meet the following minimum requirements. By the date of the examination, applicants:

Must be at least 18 years of age by the date of the examination.

Must be able to read and write English

Must be certified as an Emergency Medical Technician - Basic (EMT-B) or Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic (EMT-P) by the Texas Department of State Health Services by the last date applications are accepted.

Hiring preference may be given to candidates who are currently certified as an Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic (EMT-P) by the Texas Department of State Health Services

Must be free of disease or physical and/or mental defect that would in any manner interfere with the applicant performing the duties of a firefighter

Must have a valid and current motor vehicle operator’s license

Must have eyesight that is correctable to 20/20 in each eye, and 20/70 uncorrected (colorblindness is a disqualifying condition)

Must have normal hearing ability free from hearing impairment

Must hold current Basic Firefighter certification by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection by the last date applications are accepted.

Must possess a high school Diploma or G.E.D. Certification

Please Note: An additional five points shall be added to the examination score of an applicant who has served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and has received an Honorable Discharge and passes the written examination.

Monthly Salary

Years of Service

Firefighter / EMT-Basic

Firefighter / EMT-Paramedic

Entry Level

$3,926.98

$4,051.98

1

$4,331.60

$4,456.60

2

$4,391.48

$4,516.48

3

$4,451.36

$4,576.36

4

$4,506.39

$4,631.39

5

$4,636.85

$4,761.85

Fi

re Protection / EMS Physical Ability Examination

The physical ability assessment utilized by the Sherman Fire Department assesses a candidate’s ability to physically perform the essential job functions of a firefighter that are based on a thorough job analysis of the physical tasks performed by firefighters in the City of Sherman. The assessment is a timed event test that simulates activities typically performed on the fire ground. The assessment is designed to measure both aerobic and anaerobic fitness for firefighting. This assessment is a pass / fail only assessment. The assessment consists of the following events.

Event 1: Aerial Ladder Climb – 2 Minute Time Limit

Purpose

This event is designed to ascertain the absence of acrophobia (fear of heights).

Event

While wearing a bunker coat, weighted vest (or SCBA), safety harness, helmet, and gloves, the candidate must climb sixty-five (65) feet on an extended aerial ladder. The ladder will be placed at a seventy (70) degree angle from the horizon. The candidate must climb the ladder from the base of the ladder to the top, touching the top rung of the ladder and proceed back down the ladder to the base within the allotted maximum time. Candidates may not skip any rung on the ladder during this event. Time will start once the candidate signals that he/she is ready to begin the event and will stop when the candidate places both feet on the plate at the base of the ladder after completing the climb and descent.

Failures

Candidates who are not able to complete this event within the allotted maximum time or who skip any rung during the climb or descent will be considered to have failed the event. Candidate will not be permitted to continue physical ability assessment testing.

Event 2: Fire Ground Simulation – 6 Minute Time Limit

Purpose

This event is designed to simulate the critical tasks of carrying equipment to emergency scenes, performing ventilation and removing a victim or injured firefighter from the emergency scene. This event challenges aerobic capacity, upper body muscular strength, and endurance.

Event

While wearing a bunker coat, weighted vest (or SCBA), gloves and a helmet:

i)The candidate will pick up and carry a fifty (50) foot section of three (3) inch fire hose with nozzle attached for a distance of one hundred (100) feet, turn around and carry the same fifty (50) foot section of three (3) inch fire hose with nozzle attached for a distance of one hundred (100) feet, returning to the starting point and place the section of fire hose on the ground.

ii)The candidate will then pick up and carry above the waist an extrication tool for a distance of one hundred (100) feet without dropping the tool, turn around and carry the same extrication tool for a distance of one hundred (100) feet without dropping the tool, returning to the starting point and place the extrication tool on the ground.

iii)The candidate will then kneel on the ground and pull one hundred (100) feet of three (3) inch fire hose, using the hand over hand method, until all sections of the hose have passed the one hundred (100) feet distance marker.

iv)The candidate will then hammer a one hundred sixty five (165) pound weight for a distance of four and one half (4.5) feet using a fifteen (15) pound sledge hammer.

v)The candidate will then grasp a hose line nozzle attached to one hundred fifty (150) feet of one and three quarter (1 ¾) inch fire hose and drag the hose for a distance of fifty (50) feet to a pre-positioned drum, make a ninety (90) degree turn around the drum and continue to drag the hose for a distance of twenty five (25) feet to another pre-positioned drum, make a ninety (90) degree turn around the drum and drag the hose for a distance of twenty five (25) feet, then place the hose line nozzle on the ground within the marked stopping point. The candidate will then walk back down the hose line for a distance of fifty (50) feet, then grasp a one hundred eighty five (185) pound training mannequin and drag the training mannequin for a distance of fifty (50) feet and place the training mannequin on the ground within the marked stopping point.

vi)The candidate will then lift a twenty-four (24) foot extension ladder from ladder rack approximately five and one half (5 ½) feet from the ground and lower the ladder, placing it flatly on the ground. The candidate will then lift the twenty-four (24) foot extension ladder from the ground, placing the ladder back onto the ladder rack approximately five and one half (5 ½) feet from the ground.

vii) The candidate will then grasp a hose line nozzle attached to one hundred fifty (150) feet of one and three quarter (1 ¾) inch charged fire hose lying in a straight line from a supply hydrant (or apparatus). The candidate will then drag the charged hose line for a distance of one hundred (100) feet past the marked finish line.

Time will start once the candidate signals that he/she is ready to begin the event and will stop once the candidate successfully completes the last evolution of the event.

Failures

Candidates must successfully complete every evolution of this event within the allotted maximum time allowed for this event. Candidates who are not able to successfully complete an evolution or who are not able to complete all evolutions within the maximum allotted time will be considered to have failed the event.Candidate will not be permitted to continue physical ability assessment testing.